


An Occasional Change in Routine

by Agraulis_vanillae



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Humorous Ending, M/M, No Smut, No Spoilers, Papby, Sans isn't a Papyton fan, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 05:04:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7346221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agraulis_vanillae/pseuds/Agraulis_vanillae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Papyrus isn't a huge fan of grease, but Grillby isn't exactly a one-trick pony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Occasional Change in Routine

Papyrus dropped by Grillby's often, although he was only there to pick up his brother. Although he apologized for Sans, scolded Sans, or dragged Sans away from his 'canoodling', Papyrus never ordered anything from Grillby. It was just one of those routines that the skelebros established upon their arrival in town.

Regardless, it wasn't like there was never any occasional change in routine. He was nearly barreled over in the very early morning when Papyrus was returning home with a cinnamon bunny clamped between his teeth. He'd chomped through the pastry and apologized in a long round about way, talking about nearly every subject under the mountain they lived. There was a smear of cinnamon icing near his nasal aperture and Grillby idly wondered how uncomfortable it would be for that to accidentally get inside his face. After all he'd seen Sans choke on french fries before, eye sockets watering as the wayward starch somehow caught between the mandible and ball joint it hooked into. He was following Papyrus as far his bar, before finally coming to a decision and offering a fire retardant cloth handkerchief.

The tall skeleton blushed as he'd realized there was frosting on his face, “D-DON'T TELL UNDYNE THAT I'VE BEEN SLOPPY!”

Later that day, he'd found the neatly laundered and folded handkerchief in his mailbox.

Grillby once asked Undyne who'd been keeping Aaron on track as he received his bar supplies from the capitol what the hyperactive younger brother liked. 

“Well, I showed him how to make spaghetti a few times... but that's a work in progress,” Undyne had been so surprised to hear Grillby speak, the words were out before she knew it. “Otherwise? I really only see him drink milk or... huh. Now that I think of it, what else DOES he eat?”

She left looking puzzled, leaving Grillby to crackle thoughtfully. Milk was a simple thing... but a key ingredient in many dishes. The next time Papyrus dropped by to pick Sans up, Grillby silently slid a new concoction across the bar, a milkshake in a tall frosty glass.

Sans's eyes lit up and pushed the glass to Papyrus, “hey bro, looks like grillby wants you to try something.”

Papyrus gave the glass a wary look, before his curiosity gave way and he delicately bit the straw. Grillby turns away to fill a real customer's drink order. Once he fulfills the order and returns to the counter, he sees that the drink was halfway gone and Sans beaming even as he continues fraternizing with the canine unit of the Royal Guard. Papyrus's eyes flickered up from the drink and then away, that same blush as when Grillby handed him the handkerchief returning.

Noticing his brother's reluctant flush, Sans teases, “careful there bro, grillby's a bit hot to handle, don'tcha think?” as the bar laughs in a collective uproar.

Nonetheless, oh so rarely, Papyrus would stay a little longer and order a milkshake. During those times, he'd talk about calibrating his puzzles, his dream of joining the Royal Guard, and yes, occasionally his efforts to perfect the spaghetti that was promptly frozen solid in one of the traps in Snowdin forest. 

For the next time he made something new, Grillby waited patiently for one of those late nights that Sans passed out and Papyrus had to pick him up long after the bar should have been closed. In a typical taciturn manner, he slid a bag across the counter as Papyrus was scolding his brother's sleeping form and turned away. Papyrus blinked at the unexpected offering and gazed uncertainly at Grillby's back. 

“IS THIS SANS'S LEFTOVERS?”

“... no,” came Grillby's smoky reply.

Silence reigned as he continued to organize dirty dishes and polish tumblers, and then the sound of paper rustled across the counter before the door clicked closed softly. Only then did Grillby set down the glass, allowing his flames flare a bright blue. He wondered if it was reasonable to assume that Papyrus would like pudding.

The next morning, Grillby discovered a plate of spaghetti in his mailbox, still steaming in the frosty morning air. Trying it was... an interesting experience, one that he wasn't sure he cared to repeat. Nonetheless, a new routine was established.

Grillby was aware that Sans was not always asleep but listening in as he continued make something new, and Papyrus would return the favor with the latest improvement on his spaghetti recipe. Despite his reservations, Grillby would try it again, knowing that Papyrus was eagerly waiting to hear about it. Lately, it seemed like it was almost edible even.

One day, Grillby tried his hand at spaghetti, and gave it to Papyrus on another late night. There was no gift in the mailbox that morning. Something inside his chest tightened and seared like a live wire, but there was nothing to do about it but go on with the day. If for no other reason, maintaining the routine was a good way to fend off depression and he knew that many monsters relied on the bar in its unchanging, sweltering heat that kept the icy weather at bay. 

Unsettled at the failure in routine, he looked up regularly as customers walked through the door. Sans seemed to crack wise more than usual. He was used to being the topic of his jokes, but there seemed to be an even greater excess of 'hot' jokes than usual. Despite the way he teased, “heh, i'm on fire today, i'm hitting everyone’s funny bone!”, Sans hopped off the stool to leave early. The rest of the customers left soon enough, and slowly he ran out of chores to do before finally closing up. 

That was when he found Papyrus leaning against the right wall next to the door. Their eyes met, and before Grillby could say anything, Papyrus said abashedly, “GRILLBY,”

“ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS. FEELINGS LIKE... THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER, AND ADMIRATION FOR A FELLOW CHEF. AND THE DESIRE FOR ANOTHER COOL PERSON, TO THINK THAT YOU'RE ER... HOT BUT COOL! THESE FEELINGS... THEY MUST BE WHAT YOU'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW!”

Grillby listened, almost giddy as that taut live wire suffocating him eased up. Unbeknownst to himself, the subdued flames that burned almost coolly during the course of the day nearly flared back to life as he breathed in deeply. Papyrus leaned forward with the fervor of his words, continuing to project his thoughts in his roundabout insecure way when Grillby quietly laced his hand into his.

Papyrus blinked, holding up the hand that held his like he'd never seen it before, “HOLDING MY HAND... DO YOU... REALLY FEEL..?”

“Yes... of course,” Grillby responded quietly, almost a whisper. It resounded clearly through the quiet snowy night. 

“I... I DON'T HAVE ANY LIPS TO KISS YOU WITH. HOWEVER! IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS, RIGHT?” Grillby barely had the chance to nod before Papyrus leaned on tiptoe to smooch his cheek. “WOWIE! I'LL HAVE TO COMMEMORATE THIS WONDERFUL OCCASION WITH SPAGHETTI! BE SURE TO COME BY SOON FOR OUR FIRST DATE, OKAY?”

Papyrus raced away, leaving a flustered Grillby to the white heat that flowed through his face.

~

“Hey, are you really okay with your favorite bartender dating your brother?” Doggo asked Sans as he passed his station, a week after that night which Papyrus immediately informed him along with all of the Undernet of his relationship status.

“what, papy dating the hottest guy in town? nah, it's better than him crushing on that oversized calculator,” Sans yawned and stretched, mostly for Doggo's benefit. “he might actually learn how to cook something good.”

**Author's Note:**

> A) Papby was too cute not to give it a nod.   
> 2) It's been awhile since my last oneshot.  
> \\\\\\) Plus, there's so little of it!
> 
> Hopefully, you all enjoyed this quickie drabble! I'm not the most productive blogger, but if you wanna talk or make requests, I can answer you here or on Tumblr!  
> http://agraulisvanillae.tumblr.com/


End file.
